Houston Foot Specialists

1140 Business Center Drive, Suite 510
Houston, TX 77043

Is it a broken bone or a sprained ankle?

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick is out for the next 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury suffered in Sunday’s season-opening loss to the New York Jets. While it is not always easy to determine if it is a sprain or a fracture the only way to be sure is through an x-ray ankle sprains are a common injury that we see all the time at Houston Foot Specialists. If you have ever had one (or have chronic ankle injuries), you know that they tend to be very painful, thus keeping you on the sidelines for extended periods of time. If you have experienced an ankle sprain recently, its very important to have it checked out to see whether there has been extensive damage.

The way to treat a sprained ankle is RICE – Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. Make sure you rest by keeping off your injured ankle as much as possible. Also, ice the ankle a couple times a day, as it will reduce swelling. Make sure you dont put the ice directly on your skin, but rather its best to put the ice in a zip lock bag and then wrap it in a small hand towel. That way, the ice wont burn your skin. Always keep your ankle wrapped in compression bandages, which will help stabilize your ankle so that the tendons and ligaments can heal. If your doctor tells you that the sprain is more severe than a common sprain, your doctor might have you keep a splint or small cast on the ankle. This will keep your ankle in one position, allowing the tendons and ligaments to heal. Additionally, your doctor might order an MRI. Lastly, while you rest and ice, keep your ankle elevated above your heart. This helps reduce swelling.

Ankle sprains might be common, but they are preventable. If you are prone to ankle sprains, wear ankle braces when participating in sport activities. Check out your shoes. Make sure that your shoes keep your feet parallel to the ground, not rotating one way or the other. If your feet tend to rotate in when you walk, get shoes that have a thicker sole under your arch. If you tend to rotate out, get shoes that have a thicker sole on the outside of the foot. This, plus the addition of custom orthotics insider your shoes, will help stabilize the ankle and prevent ankle sprains. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at Houston Foot Specialists.